Acid Town
by HavenCraze
Summary: Sasuke, shunned from his family after a massacre that kills his mother, finds himself suddenly thrown into the world his brother was trying so hard to protect him from.
1. Prologue

**Title: Acid Town**

**Pairing: Sasuke x Naruto**

**Summary: And in the end all they had was each other and the bitter taste of acid on their tongue.**

**Warnings: Yaoi (m/m), Drug use/dealers, gang activity, blood/gore (somewhat). Might be some other stuff too... not sure yet :P**

**Disclaimer: Haven does not own any of the characters from Naruto, or the later themes derived from Acid Town (manga).**

This story was a request from a friend and is also my first fic, so please me generous :)

**Prologue-A Memory**

The metallic smell of blood was pungent in the thick air of the Uchiha mansion. The putrid smell of bowels filled the little Uchiha's nostrils, invading his senses, turning his stomach over and over. Something was wrong, so very wrong.

"Aniki," he pleaded in a small scared voice, broken from the constrictions of his throat. He could feel the acid of his stomach burning is esophagus and heaved, not yet realizing he was on all fours until his knees squished in an unknown warm fluid. His eyes watered as the contents of his school lunch emptied onto the marble floor of the kitchen, mixing with something red and warm.

Itachi leaned down next to his younger brother, his hands shaking from anger, from worry. He shed himself of the suit jacket using the garment to wipe Sasuke's mouth.

"Close your eyes, otouto," he whispered soothingly as he gently dragged his fingers across the young Uchiha's eyelids. He slowly brought his little brother into a standing position, crouching down in front of the boy. Itachi guided blind hands onto his shoulders, helping the young Uchiha climb onto his back and settle himself. He wrapped his small legs around his brother waist, his arms winding around the other's neck.

"Keep them closed," his brother said quietly, turning his head to the side, unmoving until he felt a small nod against the nape of his neck.

His emotions calm as he trekked his way through the maze of death splattering the floors of the mansion. One cannot mess with the Kumicho and his family and still expect to live. Shuffling noises brought him to the foyer, obsidian eyes roaming the large expanse, settling on the figures atop the staircase.

Fugaku was kneeling over their mother's limp form, his face that of an expressionless mask. Itachi would have been furious if not for the emotions swirling in the older man's equally dark orb's as their eyes met. Fugaku squared his jaw, not wanting to show weakness in front of his sons, no doubt. The two men shared a silent message, _Get Sasuke away, _it seemed to say.

"Otouto," he whispered over his shoulder, nudging the young Uchiha softly, "Let's go the park."

Without waiting for a reply, he turned and left through the grand doors of the mansion, not letting his brother down until they made the short distance to the small playground they frequented. It was a happy place for his little brother, where he got the swing and play tag with his little elementary school friends, though at this time it was deserted of children and their melodious laughter.

Sasuke's worried face came into view, his lips set in a frown, "What happened, Aniki?"

"...Nothing. Bad guys came and Fugaku dealt with it." His voice was harsher then he would have liked. Itachi knelt to one knee, making himself eye level with his little brother, his voice soothing as he assured Sasuke, "Everything is fine now."

Sasuke furrowed his brow, taking in the words, deciphering them with his small child mind. "Daddy made it better again?" he asked innocently, tilting his curious head.

Itachi working the muscles of his face, pulling his lis into a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, "Yes, he made it all better."

The little Uchiha's face lit up, his smile warming Itachi's heart. The innocence, a jewel so bright, so easily corrupted by the world they lived in. As he looked into the pure eyes of his precious brother, he worried what this world would do to such a child. Cringing he brought his younger brother into a tight uncharacteristic hug. He wouldn't let this happiness fade. Sasuke would never have to live in a world of darkness and lies, a world of death and shadows. Itachi wouldn't let anything, _anyone_, corrupt his brother with the horrors of the underground. He'd do anything.

_Anything_

**-TBC-**

**So, what do you think? Let me know!**


	2. Chapter 1: The Deal

**AU: Vocab lesson! Ha... JK, just an FYI**

**Kumicho- Head of the "family"**

**Saiko-Komon-Kumicho's right hand man**

**Welps, Thanks for sticking with it :D**

**Chapter 1:** _The Deal_

Itachi stared down at the sleeping form of his little brother, the boy's face was stained with tears and even in the little one's slumber, his brow was furrowed and the corners of his lips were downturned.

Yesterday after their outing at the park, Fugaku's lackeys arrived to clean up their little mess. Their mother's body was taken care of specifically by Shikaku, the Saiko-komon who'd no doubt have his hands full in trying to get her ready for the funeral ready. Itachi held back an uncharacteristic cringe; there would be no wake, the assassin did quite a number on her.

When the two brothers arrived back at the mansion, it had been spotless, the only evidence being the faint scent of something metallic; Itachi knowing it to be blood while Sasuke rambled about something being rusty, perhaps his bike because he'd left it out in the rain last Sunday.

Later that evening Fugaku sat down with Sasuke in a not so heart-to-heart way to give him the "news" about Mikoto's death. His voice had been dead, his eyes numb of emotion, and never did he offer Sasuke any form of consolation. Their talk consisted of Sasuke being summoned into his office, where he was sat down in a heavily cushioned chair across from Fugaku's desk, as if to form a barrier between father and child. Fugaku's fingers were steepled as he said the harsh words, "Sasuke, your mother was killed this morning."

Itachi watched as the door to the large office swung open violently and a small Sasuke bolt towards his room, slamming his door shut behind him.

He had spent the next hours calming his little brother down, feeding him lies about what had gone on that day. For the first time he'd been at a loss for words. How could he lie to him brother so easily? Should Itachi tell Sasuke about the mob business? No one had before, so the little Uchiha knew absolutely nothing about their families underground dealings. Then if he did choose to tell Sasuke, how much should he little one be told? What details did Itachi need to withhold? Would telling Sasuke make the little Uchiha plot revenge against the Akatsuki?

Another question altogether was if it were even the Akatsuki who plotted theattack. Fugaku seemed to be convinced that there was a leak somewhere close to him because who else could have gotten in the mansion so quickly, so quietly? Itachi only guessed the leak was doubling for the Akatsuki, but what if it were the start of an uprising from the underlings? Madara had always been known for causing trouble, but never had he gone so far in his jealousy for not being chosen to take over as the Kumicho. Madara would certainly have enough information about the family to leak to the Akatsuki, but what would be the point when it would only destroy the very thing he wanted to take over?

With all the upheaval would Sasuke even remain safe here anymore?

No, he wouldn't.

If he were to remain here, then he would undoubtedly be thrown into the happenings of the underground world. No matter how much Itachi would try to protect him, he'd never succeed such a task in this house. If another attack happened when Sasuke was old enough to understand and ask questions there would be no tiptoeing around that as easily as he'd done this time. Sasuke only accepted Itachi's lies now because his mind couldn't handle anything more, his innocence wanted to truly believe Mikoto died as painlessly as Itachi had told him before he finally passed out from exhaustion.

The older Uchiha slowly trailed his fingers across Sasuke's forehead, brushing the midnight locks away from his closed eyes and smoothing his brow. He slowly stood, eyes determined, and stalked towards his father's office. He knew it was well past one in the morning, but knowing Fugaku, the older man was still in his study working on god-knows-what and firing god-knows-who.

Without a courtesy knock, Itachi threw open the door; if Fugaku was surprised he didn't show it.

"Otou-sama," despite his violent entrance, his voice was calm and steady, "We need to discuss-"

"Close the door," he interrupted without looking up from his paperwork.

Itachi silently followed Fugaku's direction before swiftly taking a seat in the chair Sasuke no doubt occupied when he heard the news.

"What was it you needed? I'm rather busy tying loose threads after the attack. Make it quick," he glanced up quickly as if to emphasize the point.

"I don't want Sasuke being a part joining this," he paused searching for the right word, "business."

Fugaku looked up, setting his paper down, mild surprise coloring his expression, gone almost before Itachi noticed the emotion. Almost. The older man looked more tired and worn then Itachi had ever seen him. The bags under his eyes were more pronounced, his wrinkles more defined. Maybe he really had loved their mother in his own way.

"What brought this on?" Annoyance replaced tiredness.

"He does not need to be here with us. He will go live with Hatake and live his own life away from here."

"What does Hatake say about this?" The older man steepled his fingers, his gaze calculating.

"I have yet to contact him, but he will understand, especially under such circumstances. That will not be a problem."

Fugaku leaned back just slightly as he breathed out a long annoyed sigh. "I do not see why this is necessary. Sasuke is old enough to hold his own. He will get over the attack and we will all move on."

Internally, Itachi seethed. He spoke of their mother's death as something so simple as an _attack. _As if her life meant nothing, as if her love didn't hold this crumbling family together. Sasuke had loved their mother, still did. For a child so young, a mother was their whole world. How could this man call himself a father and yet know so little?

"_I_ will take over. I will do more than enough for the both of us. He needs to leave here. If you are so worried about the work load, I will do enough and more so he isn't needed."

The two men glared at each other, neither stare wavering in their silent battle. Itachi's hands clenched onto the arm rests of the cushioned chair, his brows furrowed, eyes alight with anger. He would not back down, Sasuke did not deserve such a life. His little brother would be happy, no matter what.

"It will not be easy." Fugaku's voice radiated anger and irritation, he hated the idea, but was to exhausted from his own emotional trauma (no matter how well hidden) to fight such determination.

"I am prepared," Itachi responded, put off by the weak argument.

"Hn." Fugaku dismissed Itachi with a wave of his hand and turned back to his work.

Itachi left the room, gently closing the door behind him. Since, it would only be a waste of time dwelling on his father's odd behavior, he made his way to his own room. Once there, his path was illuminated by the moon, which guided him out onto the terrance. It was ironic really, the moon being to bright on the darkest night the brother's had lived though. Itachi pulled out his cell phone, scrolling through his contacts until he landed on one Kakashi Hatake.

"Don't you know what time it is, Itachi-san?" Despite the complaint, the man's voice was aware and teasing.

"I need a favor," Itachi said curtly, not in the mood for such jokes.

"Oh~! And what does the almighty Itachi need from lil' ol' me?"

"Take Sasuke away from here."

There was silence on the other line, as Hatake processed the request. "They got to her." It was more a statement then a question. "And you dont want Sasuke to be involved." Also, more a statement.

"Hn."

"I see. I'll be there tomorrow to come and get him." His voice was strangely grave and serious.

"Hai," Itachi responded as the line went dead.

**End of Chapter**


	3. Chapter 2: The Arrival

**So… It has come to my attention that I did not put a disclaimer on my previous chapter… So I will be adamant in saying:  
**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters within… this story is actual steering quite clear of the plot from Acid Town(manga) but just in case… I don't own it.**

**Warnings: Cursing! M/M relations, but not for a while.**

**So without further ado here is Chapter 2 (Heh see what I did there?)**

**Chapter 2: The Arrival**

Sasuke gazed longingly out the window of his classroom, despite the ominous clouds lurking in the far reaches of the sky; it was quite a good day, hot but with a cool wind. He just hoped it stayed that way. A sharp squeal brought him back to the overexcited class. Sasuke sent a sharp glare towards the loud girls quieting them down only momentarily. Supposedly there would be a new student coming in today. He tried to ignore the shallow questions his fellow students were asking the timid teacher; questions of "Is it a girl?" "Is it a boy?" "Are they cute?" and "What do they look like?" Obviously he was failing.

Sasuke never understood the excitement of change. Were they so bored of their daily lives that they just begged for something to happen in the form of a cute boy or cute girl? What if this new person turned out to be a 6 foot monster of a guy? Sasuke rolled his eyes at the prospect. Either way, he'd have enough of change.

"Sasuke-kun?" A girl asked, her hair a strange red color, almost pink. She was one of his fan girls, always acting like the perfect lady in front of him, but put her in front of her friend/rival (Inu…? Ino?), and her true brutish personality came to light. They were pigheaded and quite rude really, throwing insults back and forth at each other. It was like she was so idiotic to think she could possibly fool him into thinking she was mature enough for him.

"Hn." He responded leaving her to decipher the grunts meaning without even sparing a glance in her direction. Just because she amused him, didn't mean he was in the mood to be friendly to her. On the contrary he'd rather not have to deal with any of the drooling girls with hearts for eyes. Seriously, he had enough problems of his own without having to worry about their feelings for him.

"Did you hear about the new student coming in today?" She asked, a blush tinting her cheeks as Sasuke flicked his gaze in her direction, only to turn his attention back to the quickly darkening world outside. If that wasn't foreboding, he didn't know what was.

"I heard he's from America!" She said excitedly, having gathered enough courage to lean closer into his personal space. He turned his meanest Uchiha glare towards her, enjoying the small flinch she tried so hard to hide. Truly it was a disgusting pleasure, but he liked to know he could have that effect on people.

"Uhm... Well…" She started, her voice wavering as she fidgeted under his murderous glare before giving up and scampering back to her friends, tail between her legs. He vaguely heard the girl's rival Inu (Ino?) teasing the pink haired girl. He really should have known their names after almost three years of schooling with them, as it was senior year, but he wasn't Mr. Social butterfly or anything remotely close to that.

The Uchiha went back to staring through the window, absently watching the heavy grey clouds. Thinking back to this morning when he left for school, Kakashi had said something about taking an umbrella. Of course, Sasuke hadn't listened just to spite the man, but did he have to be right… again? Sasuke _could_ call his uncle, but he didn't want to give the man the satisfaction of teasing him for yet another thing. Just because he didn't read Icha Icha didn't mean he was innocent, Kakashi as just a pervert.

The pathetic callings of their teacher woke him from his revere. His looked towards the front of the classroom and he swore he stopped breathing. A young man stood smiling widely at the teens ogling him. The boy had his hand behind his neck, as if trying to hide his nerves. He had hair kissed by the sun, eyes that could rival the deep, rich beauty of the cleanest oceans, and tanned skin that spoke of activeness and health.

At that moment, he was blushing at the far too personal questions he was bombarded with.

At that moment, Sasuke was trying to breathe normally again as emotions swirled and filled him. He paid no mind to the outer beauty of the absolute god that had just entered the room. He paid no mind to the harsh, ear piercing squeals the girls produced as the blonde admitted he had no girlfriend. He didn't even pay mind to the way the teacher waved her arms in the air, trying to call attention to the class.

No he raged. He seethed. And he stopped dead when his predictions were answered.

"Hi!" the teen practically yelled, obviously loving the attention. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto!"

Sasuke jolted and stood, his chair falling back and hitting the ground with a loud clang that resonated in the sudden silence caused by his uncharacteristic outburst. All eyes were turned his way, but his vision tunneled, only allowing the newcomer to be seen in his absolute fury.

_It couldn't be. No. Why the fuck was _he _here?_

"Sasuke-kun? Are you okay?" The teacher asked. Her eyes wide with unneeded concern as her gaze flickered between him and Naruto.

He forced himself to relax, pushing down the swell of emotion waging war beneath his finely placed mask of indifference. "I was startled. I didn't know this school accepted idiots." He said calmly, keeping his eyes on Naruto's, waiting for some sort of recognition, some sort of movement.

"Hey! Teme! I am _not_ an idiot!" Naruto glared, his stormy eyes glowing with sudden anger, his fists clenched.

"Usuratonkachi." Sasuke replied in disgust, surprising the teacher. The pink haired girl's rival made her way over and picked up his chair, placing it gently in its spot once more. Her face held a flirtatious smile, which he ignored as he took a seat without so much as a word of gratitude.

He kept his eyes trained on the blonde, waiting for something drastic to happen. Hatred boiled in his blood, clouded his mind, but of course his face held no such expressions. He was an Uchiha after all, it didn't matter whom he lived with.

The teacher trembled under the pressure of the two angry forces, but managed to direct Naruto to the only empty seat in the room. Right. Next. To. Sasuke. Then as if the sky sensed his overwhelming emotions, one fat raindrop splatted onto the pane. Then another came, soon followed by an all-out shower. Lightening flashed across the expanse of the window and thunder rumbled somewhere in the distance mirroring Sasuke's feelings. What a fan-fucking-tastic day it turned out to be.

Through the rest of class the dark haired teen was on the receiving end of several long lasting stares from the blonde. They were looks of confusion, of concern, of curiosity, then anger. By the end of the period Sasuke was fed up, he turned his glare towards the newcomer as he asked, in a very polite way, "What the fuck are you staring at, dobe?"

"Why do you hate me?" He asked bluntly, his eyes shimmering with mixed emotions. The fucker didn't even flinch under Sasuke's glare.

"Maybe you're not as stupid as I first thought," Sasuke stated sarcastically, ignoring the question all together.

The change was immediate and startling, but Sasuke's mask remained in place as Naruto stood slamming his hands on the desk, "I'm not an idiot, you bastard! I don't know why you hate me so much. You don't even know me!"

Okay. So the last statement left Sasuke surprised. Did the dobe really not remember him? It made Sasuke feel even angrier at the prospect that he could be forgotten so easily. He cursed his inner voice that told him it was reasonable. They only met once and it was years ago. But to know that the one meeting affected Sasuke so much and didn't even bother the other teen was infuriating. Naruto didn't even acknowledge that he had so great an effect on him.

Sasuke chose to remain silent, figuring that would annoy the blonde more rather than acknowledging his existence by dignifying his question with an answer. He was right of course, Naruto tried to get his attention through the rest of the period, even going as low as to throw him a note, which had bounced off of Sasuke's arm and now remained on the floor by his foot. Sasuke even refrained from squashing the offending piece of paper.

When the bell rang for lunch Naruto immediately took the seat of the now vacated desk in front of the dark haired teen. He had the audacity to rest his elbows on Sasuke's desk, placing his chin on top, and then he glared. Sasuke felt the heat of his gaze on his cheek, but still, he didn't respond.

"Sasuke-teme," He growled through his clenched teeth, his voice a deep rumble in his throat.

From his peripherals, the Uchiha noticed three foxlike scars marring either of the teen's cheeks; they were pale and stood out compared to his tanned and otherwise spotless skin. The dark haired teen had to quell a sudden surge of curiosity. Those hadn't been there when they'd first met. Really, he shouldn't be worried at all for the wellbeing of someone he hated especially when it could have been far worse an injury.

"Dobe," he responded, surprising even himself.

"Aha! You didn't ignore me!" Triumph colored his features, as Sasuke mentally kicked himself.

"Na-ru-to!" Sasuke was secretly grateful for the interruption. Leave it to his annoying fan girls to get the stupid bastard away from him. "Leave Sasuke alone! He doesn't like you!" The pink haired girl scolded, swatting the blonde's head.

"Aww. That's harsh. I just wanted to be friends!" Naruto turned his gaze to the girl. "Sakura," he whined.

So that was her name. Way to go Sakura…

"Leave him alone!" She repeated, grabbing his ear and dragging him away. Sasuke almost sighed in relief. While Sakura kept Naruto preoccupied by going over the "rules" on how to treat the almighty Uchiha, said teen slipped from class. He couldn't go the roof as he usually did, so he settled into a secluded spot in the library. He picked up a book and began to read, trying to keep even more unpleasant memories at bay. Naruto was connected to too many of those and to make it worse the idiot didn't even know it. It was unfair that the blonde could give him so much pain and not even be aware. Naruto was the bane of his existence, he was the reason why he was replaced so easily yet the blonde didn't even have the courtesy to remember his fucking face!

For the rest of the afternoon, Sasuke spent his time in the infirmary, as the librarian kicked him out telling him to go back to class. But, his teachers wouldn't mind if he didn't show up, hell he could miss a month and still have top scores. Luckily for him, this school wasn't as strict on attendance as long as you kept your grades high.

The rain had stopped for the most part when the last bell rang. He gave a short wave to the nurse and left for home, taking the back exit to avoid the rush of girls that were surely waiting for him. He didn't normally stoop to such levels to get away from his fans as it seemed he was running away, but he also didn't want to bump into Naruto. Once he reached the back exit only one girl was there, she blushed when he walked by, but clutched a note to her chest and turned her gaze back to the door, waiting for someone else. Sasuke gratefully zipped his jacket, hooded his head and walked homeward, his mind as clouded as the sky with swirling emotions ranging from as far as fury to pain.

**End of Chapter**

**Thanks for reading! Until next time…**


	4. Chapter 3: His Past-Part 1

**Hey readers~~! Here is the next installment! Enjoy! Sorry for the delay… You see I have this friend named procrastination, a really bad influence, so I had to play a tough game of catch up. Surely I'll try and learn from this experience.**

**Disclaimer: Yeah… Haven doesn't own Naruto or any of the characters… Sad, but true…**

**Warnings: Cursing… Harsh treatment of children… I think that's it for this chapter you guys this round**

**Chapter 3: His Past-Part 1**

Naruto entered the home he would be staying for the duration of the school year. Iruka greeted him with a warm smile and the typical pleasantries any parent would say. The blonde had believed it would be awkward for him to live with someone he didn't know for such a long length of time, but he'd been reassured that his new caretaker would treat him well and make him feel right at home. Sure enough, Iruka immediately treated him as if he were his own kid. Not that he was a kid in any form or fashion; he'd grown up way too fast to even have a childhood.

The blonde had stood in front of the school alongside the ever present fan girls, waiting for Sasuke to exit school. He stayed there for a good 20 minutes before giving up and walking home. He'd wanted to apologize for his outburst or anything that made the dark haired teen hate him so much so quickly. It was unreasonable and confusing for Sasuke to have such an attitude with on the first day they met. Naruto remembered the cold and unforgiving look in those obsidian orbs, but there had also been recognition. This befuddled Naruto the most because from what he knew, at least, they'd never met before this mornings' introductions.

Naruto was used to being hated especially from his childhood days, but he'd thought he'd gotten over that… phase, for lack of better words. No one has hated him on first meeting in a very long time; he liked to think he was a pretty easy going, happy-go-lucky guy. He practically got along with everyone. Even if they didn't, with a little hard work, he got them to open up and accept him. Maybe this Sasuke character was just an especially strong case, he'd just have to work harder, also find out who the raven haired teen thought he was so he can clear up this misunderstanding.

The blonde plopped onto his bed face down, he probably should have taken his backpack off his back first, and his sweater, too, but he was just too tired. He rolled around for a bit before sighing in defeat and throwing his backpack off into some miscellaneous corner along with his bright orange sweater and succumbed to a deep slumber.

_Naruto found himself lying in an alley; he couldn't move a limb, not even a finger. His body was now a tattered as his clothing. The harsh tongues of London's cold winter night licked at his skin, begging entrance his small body was about ready to give. He could take no more of this, his body was so cold, so tired, so worn. His heavy eyelids fluttered closed in a moment of calm nothingness, the harsh winds making him numb to the core. If only he could get away, but what could a small child do?_

_The rugged streets of London offered no shelter to little children who had no family. They offered no protection against the rain, which was why it was exceedingly hard to find anyone dumb and rich enough to pilfer from that evening. Everyone in their right mind had rushed to their warm cozy homes to light a fire and shoo out the chilling fingers of England's winter. Only the people with no place to go still lurked in the shadows, only the people like him. _

_He hadn't been desperate enough to pilfer from the little old woman he'd seen a few streets down, or so he thought at the time. Naruto had thought that being only dollars away from his nightly quota would cut it, but Mizuki seemed to be getting worse, and no longer offered any form of mercy. He'd beaten the blonde until he could no longer function against the chill and left him here in this dark alley, telling him he'd be back in the morning and that he'd better have learned his lesson, oh and not to die because he needed his booze money for tomorrow. It was only an hour 'til sunrise, he hadn't slept any because he'd heard that if you slept while you were in the cold you'd surely be dead by morning. _

_Naruto continued to lay on the filth that was the deserted London street, day dreaming of what a family would be like, how the warmth of a fire would feel against his skin. He used to have parents, a long time ago. He remembered being happy then, he remembered the warmth of his father's hand, of his mother's hugs; it was vague since he was only a baby when they both died, but the memory was there, always helping him through the harsher times of his childhood._

The blonde teen jolted awake, toppling to the floor as he lost his balance. He shivered against the harsh memory of that cold night. Naruto ran a hand through his hair grimacing when he felt the sheen of sweat covering his forehead. It was ironic really, dreaming about such a harsh winter's night, only to wake with ashen of sweat. His clothes clung slightly to his skin causing his frown to deepen. He hadn't had such a dream in a very long time and began to ponder what triggered the nightmare. Coming up with nothing quickly, he shoved such thoughts out of his mind, a shower would relax him.

After grabbing some clothes, he made his way across the hall to the bathroom. Stripping himself of clothing, he turned on the water, holding his hand underneath the faucet to check the temperature. Deeming it hot enough he stepped in and let the steaming liquid steam down his body, caressing the sharp curves and relaxing his muscles.

His first day of school was very tiring, from this Sasuke character showing absolute hatred towards him to Sakura's lecture about how he shouldn't bother the "prince." Other than her obsession, the girl was cute. Her hair was a strange shade of red, almost pink really. Ino, her best friend, had been as loud as her platinum hair. From the beginning he wouldn't have known they were close at all as they fought over Sasuke's attentions as if their lives depended on it, but once he'd steered the conversation away from the raven haired teen, they'd giggled together and gossiped like little old women.

Naruto chuckled; running his hands through his hair to make sure it was good and wet before applying his shampoo. He scrubbed his fingers through his blonde locks, lathering the vanilla scented liquid through his hair. When he'd first arrived, he'd come with nothing but some clothes and money, Iruka had provided everything else from the shampoo to the toothbrush and toothpaste he used. He really should pay the man back, but Iruka absolutely refused any form of reimbursement.

Naruto rinsed the shampoo from his hair and reached for the soap, some gel that followed the vanilla theme. Naruto grimaced, yes, he was thankful, but he didn't want to smell like a girl either.

Once done, Naruto turned off the water, dried his body, and dressed himself in basketball shorts and a muscle shirt. He retreated back to his room and plopped back onto his bed with a yawn. Really, why was he so tired today? He hadn't stayed up too late the night before and thinking back, nothing too active happened that day. With a shrug he accepted his body's plea and slipped into a deep slumber.

**End of Chapter **

**I've had this for long enough… I was planning on adding more, but I'll separate that into the next chapter. Sorry for the long wait~ Thanks for reading :D And sorry if there are any mistakes… I only read over it once after I was done typing it up.**


	5. Chapter 4: His Past-Part 2

**This is the work of my tired mind, I've slept more today than I have in a few weeks and it felt amazing~~ Sorry for the delay, hope you enjoy it **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, and like most, if I did there would be a lot more…yaoi. –grins mischievously-**

**Chapter 4 – His Past: Part 2**

_Naruto had always known this wasn't how any normal child spent their birthday. He just turned ten today, the big one-oh and he knew children were supposed to have huge celebration where they invited all their friends and their parents fawned all over them, giving presents and money. There was supposed to be cake and ice cream, maybe even a clown or a magician. The blonde closed his eyes, trying his hardest to imagine what it would be like to have parents and friends to celebrate this day with. He worked to conjure up some picture of his mother and father, but he just couldn't anymore. He'd been alone and without for far too long._

_Well, he supposed Mizuki could count as a form of guardian, he had remembered his birthday after all. He'd even given Naruto a present. _

"_Boy, you just turned 10, right?"_

"_Yes."_

_The man made a snort of acknowledgement, "How 'bout I knock off fifty for today's catch, ne? Happy Birthday, boy," he finished with a mocking chuckle._

_Fifty bucks from today's catch, huh? He could work with that. It wasn't the most conventional gift, but it was the first time he'd ever gotten any sort of break. Naruto was all too happy that this meant one or two less people he'd have to steal from. The blonde had been lucky, it was payday for most and they were all out shopping for Halloween decorations and costumes. It was so crowded this evening that no one would bother too much if they got bumped into suddenly, so the blonde didn't have to worry too much about carefulness. _

_Putting his hands in his pockets, he began for Main St., it would surely be busier there with people crowding the shopping district. Shuffling his feet and keeping his head down he noticed a woman walked away from a candy store with her daughter in tow. At the moment the mother was fussing over the girl's chocolate covered face yelling that it was too early for candy. Naruto edged closer bumping into the perfectly distracted woman and quickly withdrew himself into an alley way and began flipping through the leather wallet. The growing popularity of credit cards really made this "business" difficult, but he still fetched $26 from this particular catch. Pocketing the money, he searched the crowds once more and made his way back towards the woman and her now crying child. _

_He tapped her shoulder. "Ma'am?"_

"_What?" She turned her sharp gaze towards the boy, taking in his ragged clothing and overall dirty disposition. _

"_You dropped this."_

_She yanked the wallet away, staring at the thing as if it were now diseased. Right as she was about to go through it, the little girl let out a particularly loud cry, startling the woman into action. She shoved her wallet back into her purse and patted her child. Naruto watched from afar, already having made his way to the other side of the street and out of view. Sure, he could make more money from chunking the cards and selling the leather bill fold, but no matter how much he needed the money, he'd feel even worse if he had to make the woman go through the process of getting new cards and such. _

_Turning into another alley way, he checked the space around him for wondering eyes, deeming it safe he emptied his pocket. He only needed about fifty more dollars before he could go home. With a sigh he replaced the cash where he'd gotten it from, and suddenly gasped from a flash of gold he saw through his peripherals. He turned his eyes to the street and saw as a man pocketed a golden watch. That was real money; maybe he'd be able to get enough cash from that man. Surely he wouldn't miss it if he could afford such extravagant accessories. The man was stopped at the entrance of the alley way, he had a square face, strong jaw, and his brow was set in an upset frown. His eyes were an opaque black. He definitely didn't look like someone to be messed with, but if Naruto could succeed, he could get off the streets and make his way back to his excuse for a home and climb into his excuse for a bed and sleep away his worries._

_The man was met with another person, who could be his exact replica, albeit younger. They talked in harsh tones and began to walk away. Naruto followed, making his way from the shadowy confines and into the crowds of people. The blonde was quick on their trail, 10 steps behind. 5 steps. 1 step._

"_Ah, excuse-" he started, only to have his wrist snatched and pulled upwards. _

_Naruto's blue eyes widened as the older man leaned close, something a kin to amusement in his eyes. "You are going to have to be slicker than that if you expect to pick pocket me, bozu." The man's voice was a low rumble of authority, sending a fearful shiver through the child's spine._

"_I-I didn't mean-"_

"_What have you caught, there?" the younger man leaned over, observing the frightened child, his face a blank mask._

"_It seems a little street urchin was trying to steal what belongs to me. What is your name, kid?"_

"_N-Naruto, sir. And I wasn't trying to s-steal any-"_

"_Save your lies for someone who believes them. Do your parents know you're out here causing trouble?"_

"_Uhm. I have no parents."_

_Both men stared at the boy, giving the blonde a healthy dose of fear for his actions. Their black eyes scrutinized the blonde, the older man never letting go of his wrist. They looked at each other, seeming to share a conversation with only their eyes, their expressions never changing._

"_Hn."_

_The oldest man let go of Naruto's wrist and the two began to walk away leaving a shivering Naruto in their wake. Before they could get too far, the younger turned to face Naruto. "Aren't you coming?"_

To this day, Naruto had no idea what possessed him to follow the two, but since then he'd been welcomed into the stoic family as one of their own (well as welcome as you can get for an Uchiha). Silently Naruto wondered what happened to Mizuki, was he able to survive afterwards? Was Naruto replaced? How did he make money now? Was he even _alive_?

With a sickening realization, Naruto found that he didn't care. He'd been treated terribly through his whole childhood; the only nicety he was ever shown was that day when the man took $50 off of that day's quota.

With long, drawn out sigh, Naruto raised from the cocoon he'd apparently made in his sleep and headed to the bathroom to relieve himself. His stomach growled something fierce and he realized he hadn't eaten in quite a while. Heading down stairs he noticed a certain smell wafting from the kitchen. A smell that reminded him entirely of… ramen. Jumping down the last few steps he turned the corner into the kitchen entrance way, a grin taking over his face.

"Umino-san! Is that ramen I smell?" He asked loudly.

"Oh, please Naruto-san, call me Iruka. We are living together now, so there is no need for such formalities," he said, a friendly smile painting his features as he turned towards the blonde.

"Then drop the '-san' and just call me Naruto!" he replied back giddily.

Iruka smiled, and turned back to the stove. "They told me you liked ramen, so I figured I'd make some in celebration of your first day of school. I saw you come in earlier, and you looked troubled, so this should pick you up, too."

Naruto's eyes widened at the sentiment. A gentle smile took over his features as he made his way to the counter. "You're just like how I'd picture a mother to be!" He teased letting a grin grace his features once more as he observed twitch in Iruka's eyebrow.

"I'm going to assume that's a compliment and that you are not calling me a woman. Right, Naruto?" He turned his heated eyes to the blonde, a tight smile dancing on his lips. Naruto yelped and made his way to the fridge, opening the door to place the structure in between the two.

"Yes, yes! I would never say that!" He ducked into the fridge using the excuse of getting drinks for them both.

"Uh huh." A pause. "Hey, Naruto, this weekend I'm going to invite my…uh… friend, Kakashi, over. His nephew, Sasuke will also be coming. You two are the same age, so I figured you could be friends."

Naruto jolted at the news, a feral smile spread across his features. He'd have Sasuke. In his house. He could find out why Sasuke hated him now, it couldn't be too hard, unless he kept being a stubborn bastard. This was like fate was telling them to work it out. A sad smile took refuge on his face. He wasn't going to stop until him and Sasuke worked this out. Naruto hated to be hated, and he was going to do everything in his power to make sure they became friends after this weekend.

**End of Chapter**

**Thanks for reading!**


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